When You’re the Entree #SFRSummerCafe

Books and food. They go together like, well, food and music. And food and almost anything fun you can do while eating.

I like food. So my characters like food. In fact, if you read one of my books and a character is craving something, it’s pretty much a given that I was craving it, too. I had one reader tell me that reading The Last Enemy made her addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper and M&Ms.

Since I write suspense and adventure type fiction, mostly my characters eat on the run, but in The Key, Sara gets ordered to attend a big deal dinner party for their first, alien contact. It ought to be a good thing. A nice change from MREs in the ship’s mess. But not when she has to wear a dress. She doesn’t take it well, particularly when she’s asked to be nice, too. Feels like she’s on the menu as the entree, not a guest. But orders are orders. Even when they are crap orders. She dons her only dress, which happens to be red, and shows them how “nice” she can be, resulting in a scene that many of my readers call their favorite scene of the book:

“When the [first] song ended, Fyn thought maybe the worst was over, but then Sara stepped out from behind her keyboard and up to the microphone. She didn’t look like herself. Her gaze swept over the group, almost without recognition—until she got to Kilburn. Fyn wasn’t sure, but Kilburn might have paled. And tried to speak. At least his jaw worked a couple of times. The music started soft and then Sara started to sing something about being a woman, even though it was obvious she was one. Her voice rose, filled with challenge, and a whole lot of warning.

The song was pointed and maybe not wise, but still not terrible.

Then something changed. Fyn could see her gaze narrow—never a good sign. She was looking at Xever. Fyn looked, too. He looked amused. There was something else in his expression that Fyn couldn’t see. Suddenly Sara stalked up to him. Kilburn made a choking sound and her gaze snapped his direction, like one of their heat seeking missiles.

Sara’s brows rose—and she went right up on the table, stalking down the center in time to the music. Her heels hit the surface hard enough to make the utensils bounce and shift—but she didn’t step on a single thing as her gaze and voice challenged them to dispute what women could and would do. She looked down at Kilburn, her gaze impaling him against his chair. He gasped like a landed grope-fish.

She spun, stopping between Fyn and Carey, her hips swaying, her leg thrust out through the slit of her skirt, her foot snapping against the table top with the beat of the song. It was a beautiful sight, but the look in her eyes kept him from totally enjoying it. There was a pause in her singing and Carey said, “Damn, Donovan, I believe you. Hear you, too.”

She turned and stalked back down the table, then jumped to the floor, her heels hitting the floor like it was some man’s heart. Fyn rubbed his chest, but the look she sent Xever told him he was her target, or maybe it was Kilburn’s heart she was after. Sara spun around, leaned one hand on the table, and told Xever she was woman and she was invincible.”

The scene may not make you hungry, but hopefully seeing Sara being “nice” made you smile a bit, which is almost as good as virtual food. You can check out the first part of The Key for free or grab the complete novel if you’re so inclined.

If you were having dinner with an alien, what would you like on the menu (other than yourself)? Comment to be entered into my monthly drawing for an AnaBanana gift basket ($25 value). And be sure to check out the Rafflecopter to learn how to be entered for the fun prizes being offered this week.

13 thoughts on “When You’re the Entree #SFRSummerCafe”

If I were having dinner with an alien, I would want to be making dinner with that alien–cooking fascinates me, and I would want to hear all about why the food was prepared the way it was, when they first started eating it, what tastes they look for in food, what cultural significance food has for them…

I am fairly adventurous where food is concerned. So, if I were to have dinner with an alien I would want to try food from his world…maybe his favorites. You can tell a good bit about someone by the food they like. For instance, I don’t think I would too interesting in continuing a relationship with a guy who enjoyed eating live Aurturion slugs even if they are organic and nutritious. No ones food should squirm and squeak when eaten.

If I were at an alien dinner, I’d be all worried about feeding them something that would cause an allergic reaction or the like and would cause an interplanetary incident, and then it’d be my fault we’re plunged into an intergalactic war. All in all, I think I’d plead ill health and lock myself in my room.Carol Van Natta recently posted…Minder Rising at the SFR Summer Café

LOVE that scene. I just see her sticking it to them 🙂 (I confess I’ve written something like this myself – but it got tossed on the cutting room floor) Let’s hear it for Sara.Greta van der Rol recently posted…SFRB Summer cafe – pop in for an appetiser #sfrb

Well, as long as it isn’t one of the human eating varieties of alien, I’m not sure I’d have an appetite for anything, lol. Reminds me of a story that had me craving creme brulee, a dessert I’d always hated. Now whenever I hear it mentioned, I’m back in that story. Thanks for joining the Summer Cafe, Pauline!